updated 03:30 pm EST, Wed January 12, 2011

T-Mobile USA says iPhone up to Apple

Following the Verizon iPhone, a T-Mobile USA spokeswoman said the carrier wanted Apple's handset. The carrier was "interested in offering the iPhone" but warned that it was "Apple's decision" to make, she said. More details weren't forthcoming in the Seattle Times line of questioning.

The language is curious as it repeated similar phrasing Electronista heard from Verizon president Lowell McAdam at CTIA. He deferred to Apple for the answer on Verizon even as he suggested that a deal was inevitable. Months later, McAdam was the official host of the Verizon iPhone event on Tuesday.

Apple COO Tim Cook has stressed that the Verizon deal is non-exclusive and thus could reach T-Mobile, but it's unknown whether this would include T-Mobile or how soon any further carriers would arrive. T-Mobile USA needs the non-standard 1,700MHz 3G band for full support and would require that Apple at least use an alternate 3G radio. Quebec's Videotron has hinted at just such a plan as it shares the same requirements, but when that would happen if at all wasn't mentioned.

Speculation has surfaced that Verizon may have a mini-exclusive in having the rights to ship the first non-AT&T iPhone in the US before T-Mobile, Sprint or others get similar access.

Apple & T-Mobile come together and release the iPh

I've been waiting for years for T-Mobile to release the iPhone and I have tons of friends that are waiting too! I even went over to At&t and got the iPhone 4 when it came out, had it for 3 weeks and because of the horrible service I promptly returned the phone and canceled my service, luckily I kept my T-Mobile account. SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Make this happen guys! You're both going to make money off of it, so why not? I will not leave T-Mobile and I want an iPhone, there's millions others like me. So hurry it up already!

Apple & T-Mobile come together and release the iPh

I've been waiting for years for T-Mobile to release the iPhone and I have tons of friends that are waiting too! I even went over to At&t and got the iPhone 4 when it came out, had it for 3 weeks and because of the horrible service I promptly returned the phone and canceled my service, luckily I kept my T-Mobile account. SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Make this happen guys! You're both going to make money off of it, so why not? I will not leave T-Mobile and I want an iPhone, there's millions others like me. So hurry it up already!

not so fast

One could just as easily read this as the iPhone *never* coming to T-Mobile.

Lowell McAdam specifically stated that Verizon actively "went after" the iPhone, approached Apple, and then "worked with them" on the hardware to see if it was possible to make a CDMA version. Only when it turned out that it was indeed possible, did they actually make a deal for the phone.

If T-Mobile is working with Apple, then great, but if they are instead just waiting for Apple to make them a phone, it could be a very long time coming indeed.

Three things have to happen.

1. Apple must make a version of the iPhone that is compatible with T-Mobile's GSM frequencies.
2. T-Mobile has to provide the infrastructure for visual voicemail.
3. T-Mobile has to agree to not brand the phone, not preinstall apps, etc. like Verizon did.

2 and 3 are easy, but convincing Apple to make yet another version of the iPhone is much more difficult.